Many users have limited knowledge of the technical aspects of computer networking, and consequently, have difficulty configuring secure wireless networks. A typical private network may include one or more computing devices, a common network device such as a router, and a connection to a wide access network (WAN). Configuring the private network typically requires two phases: configuring the different settings and functionalities of the network device and configuring one or more computing devices to connect to the network device. To aid in this process, many manufactures of network devices provide a setup application that guides a user through these steps. Depending upon the particular devices and existing network configuration, configuring a private network may require the user to input one or more of the following identifiers and passwords: web address of the router (e.g., 192.168.0.1, etc.), an administrative username and password, a network name or service set identifier (SSID) (i.e., a name that identifies a wireless LAN and may have up to 32 characters), a network password (i.e., security key or passphrase), and a media access control (MAC) address (i.e., a unique identifier assigned to a network adapter or network interface card, often referred to as a physical address).
After both the network device and the first computing device are configured, the network device may be reset such that it loses some or all of its settings. However, once the setup application is again executed to configure the router, it does not know whether the router has previously been configured. That is, the setup application treats a router that was reset similar to a brand new router that has never been configured.